Tuesday 13 August 2019 21:25, UK
New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate has had the appeal of his four-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's policy on performance enhancers turned down.
The decision by an independent arbiter was announced on Tuesday and means the 10-year-veteran will miss the first four games of the regular season, starting with Dallas on September 8.
Tate, who signed a $37.5 million contract as a free agent with the Giants in March, announced the suspension in a Twitter post on July 27.
He said he intended to appeal it and felt his case had merit because he was using a fertility drug prescribed by a doctor.
The appeal was heard by a member of an independent appeals panel in New York last week.
Tate will be eligible to practice with the team until the start of the regular season.